Spring frog



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MN MW 1 H;

April 25, 1933. H. E. MUCHNIC SPRING FROG Filed NOV. 4, 1951 H. E., MUCHNIC April 25, 1933.

SPRING FROG Filed Nov; 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v. I M v \N WM m.

Patented Apr. 25, 1933 v UNITED STATES PATENT ,oFFicE HENRY E. MUCHNIG, OF AT'C-HISON, KANSAS, ASSIGNOB TO THE LOCOMOTIVE FINISHED MATERIAL COMPANY, OF ATGHISON, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF KANSAS SPRING raoe Application filed November 4, 1931. Serial No. 572,994.

My invention relates to railroad spring frogs and has for its object the provision of a two-piece spring frog comprising a single piece non-movable section or main base member provided with integral tie attaching portions andan integral supporting pad or base for the movable section or member of the frog; and wherein the spring housings are formed integral with the main non-movable member and with the movable member, respectively, thus providing for greater rigidity and strength than is the case with the multiple piece spring frogs at present in use.

My invention also contemplates a stop element, for the movable member, formed integral with the non-movable main member and adapted to provide a drain.

The invention also involves suitable holddown means between the non-movable and the movable sections or members; with the hold-down means for the movable rail or member involving either a separate element cooperating with rigid portions of the main member, or an element integral with the movable member and cooperating with a rigid portion of the main member, or an element made integral with the non-movable member and slidingly receiving the movable member.

The objects and advantages of my invention, as well as other advantages inherent in the invention, will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved spring frog, illustrating its preferred embodiment.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view in side elevation, of the hold-down means as viewed from the right in Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2, illustrating a modification of the hold-clown means.

Figure 5 is a side elevation looking at the right-hand side of Figure-4c.

Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating the embodiment of another modification.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 6. p

Figure'8 is a cross-sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 6Q I Figure 9 isacross-section taken on the line 9'9 of Figure 6, as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 10 is a .cross-sectiontaken on the line 1()l0 of Figure 6.

Figure 11 is a cross-section taken on the line 11.11 of Figure 6.

Figure 12 is a cross-section taken on the line 1Qr12 of Figure 6.

My invention relates to a railroad spring frog wherein the use of separate rail mem hers, tie-plates, hold-downs and st is eliminated, and the main portions of the frog are composed of two members constituting a main non-movable member and a movable member supported on the non-movable member.

In the embodiment of the invention, as disclosed in the first three figures of the drawings, it involves the non-movable base member 15 provided withthe wheel engaging or track portion 16, and with the enlarged base portion 17 see Figure 2; the base portion 17 at suitably spaced points being provided with tie attaching lobes or tie-plate portions 18, all formed integral.

the'frog, is made'of width suflicient to slidingly support the movable wing rail or member 19, and permit the necessary sidewise movement of member 19.

The base portion 17 of non-movablememsection 19 contacts with and is stopped by the lug 20. v

The web portions of non-movable rail portion 16 and of the movable rail section 19, as well as the upstanding lug 20, ,are provided with suitable openings to receive the The base, throughout the main portion of large pin 21, which is held against accidental removal by any suitable means as for example the pins 22, 22, which pass through small holes in the large pin 21. The openings in the railsections and in the lug are, of course, arranged so that the pin 21 will be disposed at a proper angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the frog, as shown in Figure 1, in keeping with the lateral movement of the movable section 19.

In the illustration of the invention, I have chosen to show the movable rail section 19 provided with two hold-down pins 21; it being understood, of course,-that one or any sufficient number of hold-downs may be employed. 7

The movable rail section 19 is shown provided on one side with an enlarged base 23, see Figure 2, which will contact with the upstanding lug 20 and thus limit the outward lateral movement of the movable section 19; in other words, the lug 2O acts both asportions of the hold-down and the stop elements of the frog.

The base 17, adjacent to the lug 20, is shown provided with a groove at 24 to act as a drain for water, grit and the like which might accumulate on the base portion 17.

The general configurations of the stationary member 15 and of the movable member 19, at various points throughout the frog, are similar to the cross-sectional configurations and arrangements in the sectional views, Figures 7, 9, 11 and 12.

The stationary or non-movable member 15, intermediate of the ends of the frog, is provided on its outer side with the laterally disposed elongated housing25; while the movable member 19 on its outer side is provided with a laterally disposed elongated housing 26; the two housings being disposed in alignment with each other and each housing being integralwith the respective members 15 and 19, as more clearly shown in Figure 7. I

The outer ends of both housings 25 and 26 are open and are provided with a rod or pin 27 which extends lengthwise through the housings and through suitable holes in the webs of the non-movable section or member 15 and of movable member 19; with the pin 27, intermediate of the members 15 and 19, provided with a spacer collar or ferrule 28, see Figure 7.

Each housing 25 and 26 is provided with 7 suitable springs 29 disposed about the respective ends of the pin 27 and these springs held in place and placed under compression by the followers and nuts shown at 30 secured to the opposite ends of the pin 27 As is apparent from the construction,

when the wheel flange becomes disengaged from the ball or head portion of the movable section or member 19, the latter will immediately return to its normal position by the action of the springs. Except for the integral constructions, this is the usual arrangement employed in spring frogs.

In the structure described, the main or non-movable section comprises a single piece member having an integral supporting base on which the movable member slides, integral attaching lobes or tie fastening portions, an integral spring housingand an integral portion of the hold-down mechanism which also constitutes a stop for the movable member.

In Figures 4 and 5, I illustrate a modification in so far as the hold-down mechanism for the movable rail section or member is concerned. In this construction, the stationary or non-movable member 15 in its general construction is similar to that shown in Figure 1, and as shown in the cross-sectional views of Figures 7 9, 11 and 12, and involving the enlarged supporting base 17 on which the movable member 19 is slidable.

In this construction, the non-movable member 15 at a predetermined number of points is provided with the laterally disposed enlargement or lug 31, which, for purposes of strength, may be of the cross-sectional configuration shown in Figure 5. This lug 31 is made integral with the inner side of the web of the stationary or main member 15 and of length commensurate with the degree of movement of the movable member 19; the lug being disposed through an opening in the web of the movable member 19 as shown and constituting the hold-down element forthe movable member.

It will be understood that the base 1'7 of the member 15 at properly spaced intervals, is also provided with the integral tie fastening lobes 18, and with the integral spring housing 25 as previously described; this modification involving the integral male portion of the hold-down mechanism.

If desired, as is apparent, the lug 31 may at its end he provided with a transverse pin to act as a stop for the movable member 19*.

In Figure 6, I illustrate another modification of the invention wherein the non-movable member of the frog, like in Figure l, is provided with the female portion of the hold-down mechanism and this portion is formed to also constitute the stop mechanism for the movable member of the frog.

The general configuration and arrangement of the main non-movable member 15 except for the formation of the combined hold-down and stop mechanism, is similar to that previously described and has an integral enlarged base portion 17*, on which the movable member 19 is slidably mounted, integral tie-fastening lobes 18 and integral spring housing 25.

In this modification, the supporting base 17 at one or more predetermined points, is provided on the movable member side with an upstanding and overhanging extension or lug 32 which preferably gradually tapers down at opposite sides as shown in Figure 10. The vertical portion of this lug 32 is provided with an opening 33, see'Figure 8, adapted to receive the laterally disposed lug 34 which is formed integral with the outer side of the movable member 19*;while the overhanging lip or head portion 35 is disposed above the lug 34, which also partially enters the opening 33; the lug 3 and the lug 32 constituting the hold-down mechanism While the overhanging head or flange 35 of lug 32 also constitutes the stop mechanism for limiting outward movement of movable member 19*.

In order to provide a suitable outlet or drain for snow, dirt and the like, the base of the upstanding lug 32 on the non-movable 20 member, at suitable points, may be provided with the drain outlets or openings as shown at 36 in Figure 10.

The end of the main non-movable member has the base portion extended beyond the end of the movable member to provide a support for the adjacent ends of the running rails A, A, as shown in Figure 12; the base 17 being provided with the integral spacer and rail bracing portion 37 disposed tact with the webs of the running rails A, A beneath the heads thereof as shown.

The non-movable member in proximity to the end of the movable member is provided with the laterally disposed portion 38, see Figure 9, adapted to brace the movable member against inward movement.

Instead of a spring frog composed of separate rail sections, tie-plates, hold-downs, stops and spring housings as heretofore employed, my improved spring frogs are composed of a single piece main member having integral tie-plate portions, supporting slide pad or base, spring housing and one element of the hold-down mechanism; and a single piece movable member having an integral spring housing and an element of the hold-down mechanism, with the result that greater rigidity and strength is obtained and the maintenance cost encountered with present day structures, due to the constant loosening of the separate attached parts, is entirely eliminated, because certain of the elements of the spring frog are formed integral with the non-movable member while the other elements are integral with the movable element, thereby presenting a twopiece frog having greater strength and providing for economy.

I have illustrated various embodiments of my invention which have been described in terms employed for purposes of description and not as terms of limitation, as modifica- 65 tions may be made without, however, de-

transversely of the base and formed to con-- parting from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A spring frog of the character described comprising a single piece casting constituting the non-movable member having an integral extended supporting base, tie-plate portions and spring housing; and a single piece element constituting the movable member having an integral spring housing.

2. A spring frog of the character described involving hold-down mechanism and comprising a single piece non-movable member provided with a laterally enlarged base to constitute a tie-plate portion and a supporting pad portion and having one element of the hold-down mechanism; and a single piece movable member provided with a second element of the hold-down mechanism.

3. A spring frog of the character described composed of a single piece nonmovable member provided with an extended integral base, a single piece movable member slidably supported on the integral base of the non-movable member, and hold down mechanism for the movable member, each of said members being provided with one ele ment of the hold-down mechanism.

4. A spring frog of the character described comprising a single piece element constituting the non-movable member provided with an integral extended base portion; a single piece element constituting the movable member and slidably mounted on said extended base portion; and hold-down means comprising a portion integral with one of said members and adapted to extend into the other member.

HENRY E. MUCHNIC. 

